Life — April 17, 1919 — page 6: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page is **not a cartoon or satire** — it's a **straightforward automobile advertisement** for Packard Motor Car Company of Detroit, published in Life magazine around 1919. The ad announces Packard's "Price Insurance" policy: if production costs fall during 1919, buyers of Packard vehicles will receive refunds for the price difference. Conversely, if costs rise, new buyers pay only the current price — existing purchasers aren't retroactively charged more. The ornamental "P" logo is Packard's corporate emblem, not a caricature. The text emphasizes Packard's quality control, skilled labor, and the durability of their Twin Six passenger cars and trucks. The tagline "Ask the Man Who Owns One" was Packard's actual marketing slogan. This represents post-WWI commercial messaging, not political satire.